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samanthajenalyn
October 9th, 2013, 07:44 AM
Hello everyone! I have noticed that over the past couple of months, I have been way too concerned with my hair length, and because of that I feel like it never grows. I joined the Wear Your Hair Up for an X Amount of Days Challenge, and even though I haven't really been keeping track, I'm somewhere around day 40-something. I may wear my hair down for an hour or so, but I've found since joining that challenge, my hair annoys my if its down too long. (I very rarely sleep with it up though. If I braid it, the hair tie always comes out, and to wear it in a bun I have to tie it very tight to make it stay, and I didn't figure that was a good idea. I also sleep on cotton pillowcases :doh:I don't like silk, and I don't want to wear a sleep cap lol) But anyways, I've been looking into ignoring my hair for a while, and I like the idea of wearing my hair up all the time and not checking the length for a while, so when I finally do take it down and look in the mirror I can be surprised and proud of how much length I have.

I just have a question about how people around here do it. Do you put it up directly out of the shower? Do you S&D, or trim? Because wouldn't that require looking at the length? How do you take care of your ends? Maybe its just me, but it seems like I check daily for splits, because I'm pretty worried about getting them again. lol I'm sorry if these are silly questions, I'm just curious of how you all do it. :)

Also, how many of you do this, and how long have you been doing it for? :)

HintOfMint
October 9th, 2013, 07:59 AM
When I made a point of keeping my hair up along the lines of the "keep your hair up challenge" thread, I was motivated by the fact that moving around a lot meant friction against my clothes, which led to massive, matted tangles. So when I had just washed my hair, I would let it dry some before I put it up, I couldn't do that sopping wet. I would also let it down for S&D because I was just sitting on the couch, picking through my hair for splits.

ETA: never mind about wearing your hair in a tight bun, I misread your comment about wearing your hair too tightly, so I deleted that bit in my response. Carry on.

Lyv
October 9th, 2013, 08:37 AM
I've been trying to keep my hair up too, I obsess over whether it's grown or not when I leave it down. I usually check mine for splits right before I wash it because it's been in a crown braid most likely and is really kinky so I can't really measure it and then I put it in a bun held with a spin pin while my hair is still pretty wet. I haven't been doing it very long but so far so good!

Peggy E.
October 9th, 2013, 08:38 AM
They aren't silly questions, you have had serious problems in the past and are very afraid of having the same reoccurring.

It does appear you have developed a bit of an obsession with your hair, though there are probably lots of us in this boat. We all try to do the best we can for our hair. As for me, I wear my hair up every day and usually braid it at night, which works well for my hair. It always has bothered me when down, as it seems to get into everything, which is a pain.

You can S&D without looking at the full length - simply settle yourself in good light and pull strands over your shoulder, in this way you don't see the entire length, just little peeks at bits.

You don't really need to check this often, and maybe you could set mini-goals in which you check for splits over lengthening periods - every three days, five days, once a week.

There are many products that work well for protecting your hair ends. Check out the hair product recommendations and see what might suit your hair type.

And try not to worry too much about your hair. Stress isn't good for it - or you.

Good luck - and enjoy your hair while you're at it!

MeowScat
October 9th, 2013, 10:41 AM
I leave mine down after a shower until it's either completely dry, or close to it. Then I bend at the waist, with my hair hanging in front of me, detangle it and make a bun on top of my head (top knot) and I leave it there until my next wash. I detangle once a day or once every two days (while bent at the waist with my hair hanging in front of me) then I re-bun it, or just leave it down to be washed. The bun on top of my head is awesome for sleeping, no annoying bump on the back of my head.

I've been wearing mine up in a bun all day and night for about 2 years. It took some time to get used to not seeing it down and fiddling with it all day. It's been the best thing, my hair grew almost a foot without me really noticing and my splits and white dots have decreased about 75%.

I S&D every few months now instead of several times per month. I trim the length once or twice per year. I don't look at my hair in the mirror to do my "snippings". It look me quite a while to get used wearing it up, but now it feels weird to wear it down. The hair fiddling and checking the length in the mirror obsession is much better now. Yaaaay!

Bun15
October 9th, 2013, 10:55 AM
I've kept my hair up in a ponytail ever since I was a kid. I sleep with it down because even though I have more than enough hair to braid, the length in itself is too short.
I do not put my hair up after I wash because it doesn't dry properly if I do.
I let my hair down to S&D.
Not much rocket science to it :D

spidermom
October 9th, 2013, 11:42 AM
When I wanted to avoid looking at my length, I would put my hair up every morning before I even looked into a mirror. That was basically it.

I only S&D the hairs that stick out of braids. Splits are easy to see and isolate that way. Braiding hides length.

A lot of nights, I just gather my hair around my hand, lay down, and drop my hair into the space above my pillow. There is another pillow wedged between bed frame and mattress to keep my hair from slipping over the edge at the top.

It's pretty easy to avoid seeing the length. I had to do that because I used to check my length about 9 times per day. And guess what - I never saw progress. That was frustrating!

samanthajenalyn
October 9th, 2013, 12:20 PM
Peggy E. Thanks, I will try to set mini-goals! A few months ago when I started trying to take better care of my hair, I had thousands of split ends and white dots due to years of chemical and heat damage, and even though I don't do those things anymore, I'm still worried for my hair to get like that again.

MeowScat, Wow, two years is a long time! Your hair looks beautiful in your picture! Thank you for your advice! :)

Spidermom, I check my length in the mirror to often too. It makes me feel like it never grows! So frustrating lol.

Thank you everyone for your replies!

AmyBeth
October 9th, 2013, 12:21 PM
I fell like such a dope because I check every day, like it's going to be noticeable longer today than it was yesterday:rolleyes:. But I usually comb it out and put it up or braid in the morning and leave it that way until the next morning. Often, if my scalp just needs a rest from supporting an updo, I sleep with it loose inside a sleep cap.

samanthajenalyn
October 9th, 2013, 12:27 PM
AmyBeth, I do the same thing, expecting it to be longer :p
I wish I could only put it up once a day, but I always have to re-do my updo because it starts to fall out. Maybe as it gets longer it wont fall out! :)

jacqueline101
October 9th, 2013, 12:33 PM
There are so many methods for s&d it's unreal. You can do like others said a braid trim off the hairs that stand out. Word of advice on s&d use sharp scissors and good lighting. You can put up dry or half dry and leave it up until you're ready to wash. Take it down and wash then back up. You ignore it the rest of the time. We call it benign neglect. You would be surprised how well it works.

stachelbeere
October 9th, 2013, 12:46 PM
ugh. I do the same thing - I always look in the mirror and check the growth progress - obviously there's not going to be any visible difference from the day before. I don't measure (fortunately!) but I just look in the mirror expecting my hair to be longer. Can't wait to take another growth progress pictures though... I'm always looking forward to seeing that tiny bit of new growth :o

However, I also always put my hair up just because I'm conscious of mechanical damage and I'm just annoyed when I wear it down (like today - torture). I didn't join the wearing hair up for x time challenge thread because it's not necessary, I just do it. plus I wear a bike helmet every day so I'm not going to wear my hair down...
I do however sleep with a silk scarf around my head + silk pillow. I think that helped a lot with minimising damage.
If you don't like the feel of silk you could use a very finely weaved cotton pillowcase?

Panth
October 9th, 2013, 01:17 PM
I just have a question about how people around here do it. Do you put it up directly out of the shower? Do you S&D, or trim? Because wouldn't that require looking at the length? How do you take care of your ends? Maybe its just me, but it seems like I check daily for splits, because I'm pretty worried about getting them again. lol I'm sorry if these are silly questions, I'm just curious of how you all do it. :)

Also, how many of you do this, and how long have you been doing it for? :)

I wear my hair up nearly daily, although not for any strict challenge. It's just because my hair won't grow past TBL without near-daily updos (the tips wear away as fast as the growth comes in). Anyway, now that I'm nearly at knee, wearing my hair loose (or even in an unbunned plait) is just irritating most of the time. I'm not to fussed about not seeing my length.

Anyway, this is what I do:
- comb it out and plait it each morning (not in front of a mirror); I would bun it then, but I cycle to work so I keep the plait down so my helmet will fit over it
- bun it at work (plaited cinnabun with 4 spin pins)
- unbun at the end of work and cycle home
- wear the plait loose in the evening (draped over my shoulders or the back of the sofa)
- stuff the plait into a sleep "stocking" thing overnight
- repeat
For washing, I just unplait, shower, turban it in a big towel and leave it until I'm bored. I then comb it out and either damp plait it, or stuff the damp combed length in my sleep stocking overnight, or air dry and then bun/plait/sleep stocking - it depends on what I'm doing.

I very rarely do anything terribly fancy or different - I guess that helps, because a) that requires me to spend ages at the mirror and b) it results in more breakage and shedding from all the extra combing and tangles when I'm learning.

stachelbeere
October 9th, 2013, 01:29 PM
Panth - I know this is going to sound ridiculous and probably stupid - but how do you manage to keep your hair from getting into the bike chain/ wheel - I guess your hair is yet too short for that?

Panth
October 9th, 2013, 01:47 PM
Panth - I know this is going to sound ridiculous and probably stupid - but how do you manage to keep your hair from getting into the bike chain/ wheel - I guess your hair is yet too short for that?

Nah, I think my hair is technically just long enough to do that, though not when plaited (I'm about classic when plaited, half way between fingertip and knee when loose). In the spring/autumn/winter I put my plait into the hood of my coat. In the summer (no coat), I put it in front of my shoulder and flip it back to one side whenever it ends up between my legs. If it gets much longer I may have to make a mini scarf with a hood on for summer use.

I also wear a buff to protect my hair from the helmet, particularly as the velcro holding on some of the padding is a bit visible on the inside of my helmet.

samanthajenalyn
October 9th, 2013, 02:23 PM
I never knew there was different ways to S&D, I will try those out! And thank you all for you replies! I've only ever measured my hair once a couple of months ago, and I haven't done it since. It's too much of a hassle for me to find a measuring tape lol :p & I will look for a finely weaved cotton pillowcase! I want to start wearing my hair braided more often, but because of my layers I have to redo them several times through out the day or else it all falls out and looks bad. I usually wear pony tails or buns, and I'm getting tired of those. I wish I never got layers put in my hair lol!

Panth
October 9th, 2013, 02:32 PM
I never knew there was different ways to S&D, I will try those out! And thank you all for you replies! I've only ever measured my hair once a couple of months ago, and I haven't done it since. It's too much of a hassle for me to find a measuring tape lol :p & I will look for a finely weaved cotton pillowcase! I want to start wearing my hair braided more often, but because of my layers I have to redo them several times through out the day or else it all falls out and looks bad. I usually wear pony tails or buns, and I'm getting tired of those. I wish I never got layers put in my hair lol!

Yup, there are several tactics for S&D. E.g.:

1) Make a plait and just S&D the tassel, fanning it out.
2) Make a plait and wear it for a bit until it becomes fuzzy, then S&D the fuzz sticking out.
3) Section the hair and go through section by section as follows. Twist the section then gently rub your fingers up it from bottom to top, to make it a bit fuzzy. Then S&D the fuzz.
4) I guess some people do actually just go through their hair systematically. I have no idea how these people have so much time...

samanthajenalyn
October 10th, 2013, 12:18 PM
I'm probably going to try one of those today, I haven't done it in a while.

So last night when I washed my hair, I braided it, and then before I went to sleep I put it in a bun at the top of my head. When I took it out this morning, my ends were very tangled and dry feeling, and they still are. Once I got out of school I took a closer look at my ends, and now I see a couple of splits and white dots. I swear they wasn't there a couple of days ago :( I hate to have to trim again, I microtrimmed about three weeks ago.

I'm definitely not going to wear my hair up at night anymore, or not like that anyways. I'm kind of worried that wearing my hair in any kind of bun will just make it worse now. :/

Panth
October 10th, 2013, 12:32 PM
I'm probably going to try one of those today, I haven't done it in a while.

So last night when I washed my hair, I braided it, and then before I went to sleep I put it in a bun at the top of my head. When I took it out this morning, my ends were very tangled and dry feeling, and they still are. Once I got out of school I took a closer look at my ends, and now I see a couple of splits and white dots. I swear they wasn't there a couple of days ago :( I hate to have to trim again, I microtrimmed about three weeks ago.

I'm definitely not going to wear my hair up at night anymore, or not like that anyways. I'm kind of worried that wearing my hair in any kind of bun will just make it worse now. :/

What are you trimming with? If your scissors are blunt, they will not make a clean cut and the hair that has been trimmed will split again in a very short length of time.

Equally, if you are growing out damage, e.g. bleach or straightener damage, you are going to see a lot of splits appearing all the time. Depending on the amount of splits and whether you have layers/taper, it may just be quicker and easier to microtrim the whole length.

When it comes to sleep styles, most people find buns are either uncomfortable or cause damage. You're probably better off leaving the plait un-bunned or containing the plaited or loose hair within a sleep cap.

samanthajenalyn
October 10th, 2013, 12:39 PM
What are you trimming with? If your scissors are blunt, they will not make a clean cut and the hair that has been trimmed will split again in a very short length of time.

Equally, if you are growing out damage, e.g. bleach or straightener damage, you are going to see a lot of splits appearing all the time. Depending on the amount of splits and whether you have layers/taper, it may just be quicker and easier to microtrim the whole length.

When it comes to sleep styles, most people find buns are either uncomfortable or cause damage. You're probably better off leaving the plait un-bunned or containing the plaited or loose hair within a sleep cap.

Yes I have years of damage from heat and chemicals. And I also have layers, unfortunately. I'm trying to grow them out though.

Panth
October 10th, 2013, 01:02 PM
Yes I have years of damage from heat and chemicals. And I also have layers, unfortunately. I'm trying to grow them out though.

Maybe with the damage and the layers, it would be better to maintain at your current length for a while - that way you'd both grow out the layers, loose a bit of the damaged section and maintain a split/white dot-free appearance for a while.

Of course, sometimes you just want to race to longer lengths. ;)

samanthajenalyn
October 10th, 2013, 01:13 PM
Maybe with the damage and the layers, it would be better to maintain at your current length for a while - that way you'd both grow out the layers, loose a bit of the damaged section and maintain a split/white dot-free appearance for a while.

Of course, sometimes you just want to race to longer lengths. ;)

That would be the the best thing for me to do lol. But I'm so impatient!. I probably will do that, but I think I want to wait until I get to APL to start maintaining it to grow out my layers and damage, because I'm not able to do too much with the length that it is at right now lol. I just wish it would hurry up and grow! :justy:

Panth
October 10th, 2013, 01:34 PM
That would be the the best thing for me to do lol. But I'm so impatient!. I probably will do that, but I think I want to wait until I get to APL to start maintaining it to grow out my layers and damage, because I'm not able to do too much with the length that it is at right now lol. I just wish it would hurry up and grow! :justy:

Ah, yes. It's lots easier when you can do a few updos. Make the most of the shorter lengths - it's much easier to learn how to do french plaits, dutch plaits, lace plaits, etc. at that length.

samanthajenalyn
October 10th, 2013, 02:09 PM
Ah, yes. It's lots easier when you can do a few updos. Make the most of the shorter lengths - it's much easier to learn how to do french plaits, dutch plaits, lace plaits, etc. at that length.

I've finally learned how to french braid, after hundreds of tries! lol. And I think I always braid my hair dutch instead of english, but I'm not 100% sure about that, I always get confused which is which lol! I will look into learning how to lace braid next! :)

lapushka
October 10th, 2013, 02:20 PM
I just have a question about how people around here do it. Do you put it up directly out of the shower? Do you S&D, or trim? Because wouldn't that require looking at the length? How do you take care of your ends? Maybe its just me, but it seems like I check daily for splits, because I'm pretty worried about getting them again. lol I'm sorry if these are silly questions, I'm just curious of how you all do it. :)

Also, how many of you do this, and how long have you been doing it for? :)

My hair's up in a peacock twist 6 days out of 7. Day 7 is wash day and then it's in a half-up. The key is not to mind your hair. Just let it be. Pay no mind to it and be carefree about it. Don't stress or fret. Benign neglect all the way. I don't look at my ends - at all. It was layered about a month ago (waist length), and I'm just growing it out now.

lunalocks
October 10th, 2013, 02:26 PM
Early in the year I wore my hair up for 3 months, down only for washing and air drying, S and Ding (every week) and for combing out (with a Madorra wide tooth comb) and oiling the ends (baby oil). After the 3 months were over, the feel of my hair on my back was amazing.

In May I started catnip tea rinses and soaks and as a leave in (without conditioner) and did this every wash. I had such great results that I wore it down a lot during the Summer, but not every day. Now I am back to having it up most of the time. And always at night. I bun with a fork and change out where the bun is so there is not pull on one part of hair all the time. From keeping it up and the catnip tea, I have almost no splits and am gaining length again after a stall. I sleep on cotton pillowcases and do not have a sleep cap. This works for me. It is true that protection makes for stronger hair. My under hairs, the hair under the outer layer, that is protected, is the longest and strongest, no splits and no breakage.

samanthajenalyn
October 11th, 2013, 01:20 PM
I've heard about catnip rinses. Maybe one day I'll buy some and try it. I'd love it if it would help stop the split ends.